Closure for automobile radiators and the like



Dec. 4 ,1923. 1,476,074

H. P. HANSON CLOSURE'FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS AND THE LIKE Filed 23, 1921 ZSheets-Sheet 1 llfJwJfi I I was 7 v H. P. HANSON I CLOSURE FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS AND THE LIKE Filed May 25. 192i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1731/15 mafia 2:": ms 7 290/2,

Patented Dec. 4, 19 23.

UNITED STATES HANS PETER HANSON,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLOSURE FOB AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed May 23,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS P.. HANSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Automobile Radiators and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has to do with improvements in closures for automobile radiators and the like; While the invention is particularly'u'seful in connection with closures for automobile radiators, still it will be understood that various features of the invention may be used to great advantage in connection with other classes of service.

It has become very customary to place a thermal indicator on the radiator cap for showin the-internal condition of the engine. hese attachments are comparatively expensive. Furthermore, when such attachment is mounted upon the radiator cap, it is a very simple matter to remove it by simply unscrewing the cap from the radia tor. It has, therefore, been very easy for persons to steal the indicators by simply unscrewing the radiator caps.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide means for lockin the radiator closure in position, so that it cannot be removed except by the use of a proper key. In this connection another object is to combine the temperature indicator with the closure in such a manner that the temperature indicator cannot be removed from the closure except from the inside, thus making it impossible to remove the thermal indicator without first unlockin the closure.

Another object of t e invention is to so.

associate the thermal indicator with the closure that the closure when unlocked may be readily removed by simply turning the thermal indicator. which for this purpose acts more or less as a handle. More particularly an object in this connection is to provide a closure composed of two parts one of which may be permanently attached to or associated with the radiator shell and is largely ornamental, the other portion of the closure being removable when unlocked and carrying the thermal indicator.

Another ob'ect of the invention 1s to so place the locking device with res ect to the various parts and particularly with respect to the closure that when the closure is locked in position, the locking device will be her- 1921. Serial No. 471,784.

metically sealed from the interior of the radiator so as to effectively prevent the steam which ma be generated from reachmg the lock. his will prevent the lock bemg corroded or otherwise damaged by said steam.

. Other objects and uses of the invention Wlll appear from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fi through the upper portion of a radiator shell hav ng applied thereto a closure and locking dev ce embodying the features of the present lIlVEIltlOIl Fig. 2 shows a horizontal cross section takenon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

gure '1 shows a vertical cross section Fig. 3 shows an end viewof one of the I bars of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, {)Blilg the bar within which 'is located the Fig. 4 shows a vertical fragmentary section through a modified form of closure in which said means are provided for locking the thermal indicator to the cap;

F1 5 shows a horizontal section taken on the hne 4-4 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows; l i

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of one of the locking wedges of the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 shows ape'rspective view of a modiorm of ring and locking wed s;

Fig. 8 shows a fragmentary vertical-section taken through another modified form of locking device for locking the cap-to the radiator shell; and

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the locking ring used in the arrangement" in Fig. 8.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the radiator shell is designated by the numeral 10. It has the'upstanding neck 11 of the usual form. The neck illustrated .in Fig. 1 is internally threaded andis intended to receive an internal closure. A cap 12 is associated withthe neck 11. Said'cap has a downwardly depending exteriorly threaded neck 13 which threads onto theradiator neck 11, and to which it may be locked from the inside as by means of a set screw 14. The cap 12 may be of any convenient form or appearance lit or design, but the one illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is provided with a circular ody portion having a pair of oppositely placed horizontal arms 18 and 17. For purposes of convenience these arms are shown as havin the end enlargements 18 and 19, but it wi be understood that the form and appearance of the arms is l'ar ely a matter of design, and may be change within wide limits. in tact the arms themselves mi. ht beentirely eliminated and the body portion of the ca may also be varied within wide limits of lorm and appearance.

The cap is provided with a central vertically extending passage 20 through which access may be had to the interior of the radiator as for filling it with water. The upper end of the passage 20 is enlarged and resents an upwardly facing annular seat 21.

he enlarged portion of the passage is threaded'as shown at 22. A closure plug 23 threads into the enlarged end of the passage and closes its upper end. This closure plug may carry .a thermal indicator 24 or any suitable ornamental or symbolizing device, or any other element by means of which the plug may be conveniently rotated for threading and unthreading. In fact, in some cases, the plug itself may be allowed to extend above the top of the cap, such upwardly extending portion presenting a convenient, means. whereby the plug may be rotated.

When a thermal indicator is used, its neck 25 may be extended down through the plug, so that its lower end is presented to the thermal condition of the interior of the radiator. A nut 26threaded onto the lower end of the neck 25 serves to lock the thermal indicator to the plug 23 from the inside, so that the thermal indicator cannot be removed from the plug without injury until the 61mg itself has been removed from the cap. rdinarily a steam-tight gasket 27 will be provided between the nut 26 and the lower face of the plu liave provided suitable means for locking the plug to the cap, so that these two parts can only be separated by the use of a proper key. In the arrangement shown said locking device takes the form of a pin 28 working in the arm 18, which pin may be thrown in or out by the rotation of a key introduced into the key opening 29 in the enlarged end 18 of the arm 16. When the key is introduced into the opening 29, itmay then be rotated so as to retract the pin 28 into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the key is to be withdrawn it must first be turned back into the normal position, and this act of turning will in itself project the pin 28 lnwardly. The back and forth movement of the pin 28 when it is turned by the use of a key inserted into the key opening 29 may m accomplished in the following maninvents solve the pin or it may be of enlarged size,

as shown in Fig. 2, in which case it will not be necessary to bring the plug 23 into exact position with respect to the ca before the parts may be locked together. l evertheless, when usin the enlarged socket, such as shown in iig. 2, the plug cannot be unscrewed from the cap without first retracting the pin 28. V

In order to prevent steam which may be generated within the radiator from gaining access to the pin 28 and locking mechanism, 1 have illustrated a sealing gasket 31 between the lower face of the plug 23 and the shoulder 21. Ordinarily a steel ring 32 will also be placed in this location in addition to the gasket itself. When a steel ring is used, it s ould be set on top of the gasket, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the gasket itself will not be subjected to a direct rubbing action when the plug is threaded up tight.

It will be observed that with the arrangement above describerhthe-thermal indicator or other usefulor ornamental device itself ssrves as the means for rotating the plug; that said device is locked to the plug from the inside, so that it-can only be removed from the plug without injury after the plug has been removed from the cap; and that the plug may be locked to the cap, so that it cannot be removed without injury except by the use of a proper key.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 makes no special provision vfor locking the thermal indicator to the plug in a non-rotatable manner beyond the locking action secured by the use of the nut26. This will in most cases be suiiicient. However, in Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a modified arrangement in which the plug itself is provided with a downwardly tapered opening 83 through which the neck 25 of the thermal indicator passes, said opening 33 receiving one or more locking wedge bl0CkS34:. Each of these locking wedge blocks may be of the form shown in Fig. 6. Its inner face is provided with a cutting edge 35 adapted to dig into the material of the neck 25 when the lock 34 is wedged. into position. The block or blocks 34 are set into a collar 36 a must which the nut 26 operates, so that w on said nut is tightened up, it forces the wedge blocks 34 firmly into place.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form remove of wedge block locking device to take the place of that illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In this case one or more wedge blocks 37 are mounted in a flexible ring 38, so that these parts become a unit: When this device is used, the'nut 26 will bear directly I have shown a modified construction in which the cap is intended-to co-operate with an externally threaded radiator neck 39.- In this case the caphas the internally threaded downwardly extending collar 40 which threads into the neck 39. A seal 41 extends inwardly from the collar 40 and presents an upwardly facing shoulder 42. -A looking ring 43 sets into said shoulder, said locking ring having a downwardly dependin lug 44 which reaches to a point low enoug down to receive a set-screw 45. Said setscrew is threaded through the In 4 t and engages the inner face of the neo '39. It is thus impossible to remove the cap 12 Without first loosening up the set-screw 45 from the inside.

It will be observed that when the cap has been locked to the neck of the radiator shell, it becomes in efiect a portion of said neck, being rigid therewith. Therefore, in some cases the use of a cap as a separate and distinct element may be dispensed with and the cap may be locked directly to the neck of the radaitor shell.

While I have herein shown and described only certain embodiments of'my present invention, still I do not limit myself to the said embodiments except as I may do so in the claims. v

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with the neck of a radiator shell, of a cap threaded onto said neck, said cap. having a vertically extending through passage, the upper portion of said passage eing threaded, there being an upwardly facing shoulder at the lower end of said threaded portion, a plug threaded into said portion, a steam-tight gasket between the shoulder and the lowerface of the plug, a thermal indicator extending through the plug, means for securing the thermal indicator to the plug by the use of a lockingdevice on the inner end of the thermal indicator, means for securing the cap to the neck of the radiator shell by the use of an interior locking device accessible only through the plug opening when the plug is removed, a radially extending and radially movable locking pin in the cap, there being a periph-- .eral socket in the threaded portion of the the plug) plug adapted to receive the inner end of said locking pin'When projected inwardly, and means in the cap for shifting'the position of said pin only b the use of a suitable key, substantially as escribed.

'2. In a device ofv the class described, the combination with the neck of a radiator shell, of a cap threaded onto said neck, said cap having a vertically extending through passage, the upper portion of said passage being threaded, there being an upwardly facin shoulder at the lower end'of said threade portion, a plug threaded into said portion, a steam-tight gasket between the shoulder and the lower face of the plug, athermal indicator extending throu h the plug, means for securing the therma indicator to the plug by the use of a locking device on the inner end of the-thermal indicator, means for securing the cap to the neck of the radiator shell by the use of an interior locking device accessible only when the plug is removed, and means for locking the plug against unthreading from the cap except by the use of a special key, substant1- ally as described. f 1

3'. In a device of the class described, the combination with'the neck of a radiator shell, of a cap threaded into said neck, said cap having a vertically extending through passage, the u per portion ofsuch passage being threade a plug threaded into said portion, a thermal indicator extending through the plug, means for securing the thermal indicator to the plug by the use of alocking device on the inner end. of the thermal indicator, means for securing the cap to theneck of the radiator shell by the use of an interior locking device accessible only through the plug openingwhen the plug is removed, and means for locking against unthreading from the cap except y the use of a special key, substantially as described.

4. In a deviceof the class described, the combination with the neck of a. radiator shell, of a cap mounted on sai-dneck, said cap havin a vertically extending through assage, t e upper portion of said passage ing threaded,'a plug threaded into said portion, Fa thermalindicator extending through the plug, means for securing the thermal indicator to the plug by the use of a locking device in the inner end of the thermal indicator, means'for securing the cap to the neck of the radiator shell by the use of an interior locking device accessible only through the plug opening when the plug is removed, and means for locking the plug against unthreading from the cap except by the use of a special key,'substantially as described.

, 5. In a device of the class described, the combination with the neck of a radiator shell, of a cap mounted on the said neck,

said cap having a vertically extending through passage, a separate plug mounted within the cap, a. thermal indicator extending through the plug, means for securing the thermal indicator to the plug by the use of a locking device on the inner end of the thermal indicator; means for securing the cap to the neck of the radiator shell by the remove use. of an interior locking device accessible only through the plug opening when the plug is removed, and means for securing the plug against movement with respect to the cap except by the use of a stantially as described.

HANS PETER HANSON.

special key, subv 

